Do you want to organise a project? Request volunteer support!
IBO welcomes new and inspiring projects that fit our goals, vision and mission. Do you have a work project for IBO volunteers? You can download our application form here.
International workcamp
In an international workcamp, 6 to 15 (mostly young) adults are involved in a non-profit project for one to three weeks. For the volunteers, workcamps are an opportunity to get to know other cultures, volunteer abroad and make new friends.
As a project host, you can implement your work project with low budget through a workcamp and at the same time enable intercultural exchange with the local population: host people from all over the world in your community for two to three weeks, meet different cultures and enrich everyday life for locals as well.
An international workcamp can also be a great incentive for local youth to get active and learn new things.
Criteria
Projects and initiatives that meet all the criteria below may be eligible for support from IBO-Nederland. Based on the application, the board of IBO-Nederland will assess whether a project is eligible for support.
- The social necessity of the project (organisation) is clear and concerns living conditions of people.
- The financial necessity is clear: it has proven to be impossible or very hard to realise the project in any other way (please explain!).
- The project is likely to be viable (especially when it concerns a new initiative).
- The work is suitable for inexperienced volunteers.
Projects may be eligible for support from IBO-Nederland if the social and financial necessity is clear. The work has to be suitable for untrained and often inexperienced volunteers. The project organisation has to provide a project (work) leader, who is experienced and knows what is to be done and how. As organiser of a project, you are responsible for the quality of the work.
IBO aims to recruit volunteers for the project who are willing and able to work 5 days a week, 6 - 8 hours a day. The project organisation provides the work, materials and food and accommodation for the duration of the project.
IBO does not fund the project. However, if the project organisation is not able to fund the project, it is possible to apply for limited project support in order to be able to buy materials for the project and provide food and accommodation for the volunteers.
The IBO board decides whether or not, and for how much, a project will be supported.
Volunteers
The volunteers are mainly young adults between 18 and 30 years old (and some 50+) who want to do something useful and meet people from different countries and backgrounds during their (summer) holidays.
The volunteers are available to work for five days a week, 6 - 8 hours a day. They usually do not have any specific technical, social or ecological knowledge or training. Nevertheless, results can be sensational when they are guided well!
Besides these untrained volunteers, IBO also aims to mediate students or trainees. If your project is suitable for, or already offers, certain traineeships or internships, please let us know.
All volunteers have to declare that they have read and agree to the general terms and conditions of participation and our code of conduct.
Suitable work
The volunteers can help out with jobs such as carpentry, masonry, demolition, plastering, drywall, digging, laying pipes. Or they can be put to work in an ecological environment, as gardeners or signpost builders for example. Also social activities, for example helping to take care of elderly people and organise outings, creative activities or small sports events for all kinds of target audiences, are possible.
Most projects last one to three weeks. For volunteers, this is usually just right. If work is abundant and supervision is available, we can discuss the possibilities of forming several groups of volunteers during one summer, one group after another.
The applicant is responsible for explaining and supervising the work.
Accommodation, food and coordination of the work
IBO expects the project to provide for safe and good accommodation. Luxury is not expected. A clean and dry space, if possible with beds, will do. And of course some kind of sanitary possiblities.
Also breakfast, lunch and dinner should be provided for by the project. Depending on possibilities, arrangements can be made for the volunteers to cook for themselves or to have someone cook for them.
It is very important that there is someone the volunteers can contact throughout the project, who supervises during work hours and is available for work related issues, organisational affairs, small talk and everyday problems.
Finally, we want volunteers feel welcome when they arrive. This can be achieved, for instance, by picking them up, making sure they are welcomed at arrival, help them fill their leisure time and arrange some local contacts.
Planning and materials
It is important that the work to be done during the project is planned carefully. This planning should be discussed with the volunteers at the start of the project, so they know what is expected of them. Also, it is helpful if the volunteers are informed about the project's aims and background.
Everyday work can be divided in short, daily work meetings. In addition, (building) materials and tools should available when the volunteers are at the project.
We advise you to think about alternative work that can be done by the volunteers if the planned work cannot take place due to unforeseen events or weather conditions.
Summary
IBO-Nederland:
- recruits (international) volunteers
- informs volunteers and project organisations
- supports and advises project organisations in setting up the volunteer project
- may support the project financially, if needed
The project responsible is expected to:
- Make sure there is enough work for the volunteers for 6 to 8 hours every weekday.
- Have a work plan
- Coordinate the project, supervise the work and provide sufficient material to work with
- Take care of accommodation, meals and local transport for the volunteers
- Inform the volunteers about the projects aims and background
- Make sure the volunteers feel welcome and appreciated
For information, please contact IBO-Nederland.
To apply for volunteer support: download the application form.